Cushion.



PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

H. S. HALE.

CUSHION.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 8.1905.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES lPATENT oEEroE.

HENRY S. HALE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO"Y THE HALE AN D KILBURN MANUFACTURING COMPANY., `OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CUSHION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedmay 21,` 1907.

Applicata tied May s, 1905. sean No. 259.391.

To {tI-, whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. HALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cushions, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention includes both a new article of manufacture and a preferred emhodiment t-hereof, both in the cushion art and adapted particularly for use in connection with upholstered seatand back-cushions of the type employed in railway coaches and other articles of furniture generally. Cushions of this sort commonly include a suit-able frame, usually rectangular, support-- ing a series of coil-springs over which upholstery material is placed, the cushion being finished by a wearing surface of ratan, plush, pantasote, etc. Such cushions are divisible broadly into two classes, in one of which, known as spring-edge, a series of coilsprings underlie the upholstery and covering adjacentto the edges, so as to afford desired elasticity, while in the other class such edge springs are omitted, the cushion cover, and in some cases the upholstery or canvas below such' cushioncover, being secured to frame members of a height but little less than the thickness ofthe seat intermediate of such members. `The present ,invention is applicable to both these classes of cushions', but for convenience will be described in connection with a structure of the class first named. In all such structures it has heretofore been the practice, in order to give a finished appearance to the edges of the cushion, tovlaboriously stitch through the textile material or upholstery or both, secured in position above the springs, so as to form a bead extending entirely around the cushion or on the forward and rearward edges thereof, This operation has proved time-consuming, as is also the o eration of applying the felt, curled hair or odie'r material, which for convenience I shall refer to herein broadly as upholstery material My object is to provide, as a new article of manufacture, a novel form of material for use in cushion-making,4 this comprising felt,

hair or other upholstery material united bysuitable means, such as glue, to a strip or band of textile material, such as canvas.

This may be made in any desiredl quantity and sections of suitable length cut for application to a cushion-frame. In preparing it for this use, I fold the strip of composite material longitudinally, either with or without the insertion at the fold of a cord or reed or similar structure, preferably round in crosssection, stitching the two sides together at a short distance from the fold, and, if such cord or reed be employed, around such cord or reed, using either one or more parallel rows of stitching. The composite material may be applied to the cushion-frame in this form, the webs thereof beyond the bead formedby the stitching lying together and in parallel planes or being separated to permit its ar rangement in angular position along the cushion edges. Where the latter procedure is followed, one-web of the material may be secured to a spring-member of the cushionframe and the ot er web to a stationary member of the cushion-frame, additional upholstery mate-rialbeing applied over the surface of the cushion to bring up the level thereof to the proper height and provide requisite softness.` Over the structure so formed, thewearing surface or cushion cover of plush, ratan or other material may be placed, its edges being tacked or otherwise secured either to the sides of the cushion or to the under surface thereof, a firm and uniform appearance being given at the edge thereof by the underlying beadformed bythe composite material as above described. If desired, such cover'may readily be stitched to such bead, so as not only to secure the cover in place but also to add to its ornamental appearance. *i

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which Figure l-is a central longitudina section illustrating my invention as applied to a cushion suitable for use on a car-seat; Fig. 2 is a similar View,

illustrating another form in which the invenv tion may be employed; Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrating a modification; Fig. '4 is an enlarged perspective'view of a short section of the upholstery material and Fig. 5 -is a detail view hereinafter to be explained.

Referrin to these drawin ,in which similar letters denote correspon ing parts, A,l A,

designate the two side members of a cushionframe and B the cross-arms extending between and connecting the same, both said side members A, A, and cross-arms B supporting in this instance, arranged in lrows both laterally and longitudinally, coilsprin s b.

C esignates sectional wooden slats of the character commonly in use, extending around all four sides of the cushion and overlying and secured to continuous wooden slats c, which in turn overlie and are-secured to narrow metallic strapse. l

c2 designates one of a series of corrugated steel bands, each extending over a lateral series of coil-springs b, the upper ends whereof are preferably secured to said bands, the ends of said bands underlying the steel straps c.

D designates what is commonly known as the first canvas, this being a sheet of textile material extending over the steel bands c2 and slats c. A This may, as shown in Fig. 3, extend no farther than to the outer edges of said sectional slats C, or if desired it may project beyond the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in order that it may be pulled down so as to dplace the sprinc1r system under tension, an its edge tacked or otherwise secured to the side-members A, A, of the frame.

If desired, I may provide thel sectional slats C with a convex molding of wood or other suitable material secured to such slats near their outer edges by means of clenched tacks, as shown in Fig. 1.

The upholstery device above referred to is shown detached and on enlarged scale in Fig. 4, and applied and on smaller scale in the other figures. In the manufacture of this, bands F of any suitable length are preferably coated with glue, and while same is hot bands or sections of upholstery material, f, are applied to the adhesive surface under pressure, so as to firmly unite therewith. Such band is then folded longitudinally, preferably around a central core f of cord or ratan reed, and then stitched adjacent 4to the fold, as at f 2, either one or more lines of stitching being employed, as desired. This material, being of such character as to permit it to be manufactured and carried in stock, may be applied to the cushion-frame as above described in any suitable manner, the bead, however, formed by the fold of such material, projecting outwardly for coaction with the cushion-cover G. In Fig. 1, I have shown the two webs,f3, f4, as arranged in parallel planes, the whole material being secured in position by means of nailsf extending through said material and through first canvas I), slats C and c, and straps c, the ends of such nails being clenched on the under side of said strap. Where this arrangement is observed, the surface of the cushion inside the marginal layer of upholstery material may be covered over with loose upholstery material g, sufficient thereof being employed to bring up the height of the cushion as a whole to the desired point,

this point being preferably above the horizontal plane of the marginal bead above described. After this has been done, the wearing surface or cover of the cushion` may be applied, as illustrated, the edges thereof being tacked or otherwise `,secured preferably to the under side of the side and end members of the cushion-frame. Also, if desired, said cover G may, as shown in Fig. 5, be stitched to the beadin such manner as to give such cushion the appearance of being beaded also.

Instead of leaving the webs f 3, f 4, in parallel planes as shown 1n Fig. 1, I may, as shown in Fig. 2, separate the same, either employing the molding E or not as preferred, securing one of said webs to the slats overlying the edge series of coil-springs, as, for instance, by means of a clenched nall as aboveV described, and allowing the other web, f4, to extend downwardly, in order that the edges of the cushion may be upholstered as well as the top thereof. Or, if desired, the upholstery material of such web f4 may be removed as illustrated in Fig. 43, the edgeof the canvas exterior of such web being tacked or otherwise secured tov the frame. Where this construction (either involving or not`involving i removal of the upholstery material as just, described) is employed, the springv system may be placed under the necessary tension upon securing the canvas exterior of the web f4 to the frame, and the first canvas in such case may extend only over the steel bands c2, and if desired over the sectional slats C` its function of placing the spring syst-em under tension being thus transferred to the web f4. These and other modifications of or departures from the preferred form of cushion construction illustrated in Fig. 1 will readily suggest themselves'to the skilled mechanic and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed.

Having now described my invention', what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patentis as follows 1. As a new article of manufacture, a strip of textile fabricand elastic upholstery material secured to the surfacethereof, said strip being folded longitudinally to bring together the faces on either side of said fold to which Said upholstery material has been ap lied and to form a bead at the folded edge o said strip, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IOS

2. As a new article of manufacture, a strip of textile fabric and elastic upholstery material secured to the surface thereof, said strip bein folded longitudinally to brin together the fgaces on either side of said fok? to which said upholstery, material has been applied, and a core lying'within said fold at the bight thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a cushion-frame, springs carried thereby, a covering overlying said springs and secured at its edges to said frame, an upholstery device extending around the edges of said cushion and comprising a bandof textile fabric andupholvstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally, and means for securing said device in position, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a cushion-frame',

springs carried thereby, a covering overlying band of textile fabric and upholstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally and having the Webs thereof stitched together, and means for securing said device in position, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cushion, a base or frame, springs supported thereon, an auxiliary frame above the main frame and supported thereon, an upholstery device 'overlying said auxiliary frame and comprising a strip of textile fabric and upholstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally, and a covering overlying said upholstery device and secured at its edges to said frame, substantially as set forth.

6. In a cushion, a base or frame, springs supported thereon, an auxiliary frame above t-he main frame and supported thereon, an upholstery device overlying said auxiliary frame and comprising a strip of textile fabric and upholstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally and having the Webs thereof stitched together, and a covering overlying said upholstery device and secured at its edges'to said frame, substantially as set forth.

7. In a cushion, a base or frame, springs secured thereon, an auxiliary frame above the main frame, springs supporting the auxiliary frame upon the main frame, an upholv stery device comprising a strip of textile fabric and upholstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally, and means securing said upholstery device upon said auxiliary frame, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a cushion-frame and springs carried thereby, of means for placing said springs under tension, and an upholstery device extending around the edges of said cushion-and comprising a band of textile fabric and upholstery material secured to the surface thereof folded longitudinally, said device being secured to said frame, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a cushion-frame and springs carried thereby, of means for placing said springs under tension, and an upholstery device extending around the edges of said cushion and comprising a band of textile fabric folded longitudinally and upholstery material within the fold, the tWo Webs formed by said longitudinal fold being stitched together intermediate their lateral edges and said device being secured to said frame, substantially as set forth.,

10. The combination with a cushion-frame and springs carried thereby, of means for placing said springs under tension, and an upholstery device extending around the edges of said cushion and comprising a band lof Atextile fabric folded longitudinallyvand upholstery material Within the fold, said device having a central core and being stitched adjacent to the fold and secured to said frame, substantially as set forth. y

This specification signed and witnessed this 2nd. day of May, 1905.

` HENRY S. HALE,

Witnesses:

G, O. EDMoNDs,

J. KIRBY, Jr. 

